FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT GAGAN NARANG - PAGE 4

BANGALORE: The National Rifle Association of India's (NRAI) rigid stand on Abhinav Bindra has deprived the country of a likely gold medal in next NRAI has not named Bindra in the squad for the event, beginning on February 17, saying the Olympic gold medallist did not attend the mandatory trials. His name cannot be added to the list now as the federation has already announced the names of three air rifle shooters - Gagan Narang, P T Raghunath and Sanjeev Rajput - for the event. Bindra had told TOI recently that he was keen on participating in the Delhi event.

NEW DELHI: After Abhinav Bindra and Gagan Narang bagged Gold for the men's 10 m air rifle pair's event, Anisa Syyed and Rahi Sarnobat won second Gold medal for India in 25m standard pistol pairs event at the 19th Commonwealth Games on Tuesday. Earlier, Abhinav Bindra and Gangan Narang fired in unison and shot a Games record 1193 in men's 10m air rifle event to give the country its first gold medal. The pair together scored 1193 to break their own record, which they had set four years ago in Melbourne, by notching up 1189.

India's shooters had to work at it day in and day out to take the country to its highest ever tally of gold medals in the just concluded Commonwealth Games at Melbourne. The likes of Samaresh Jung, his wife Anuja, Olympic silver medallist Raghavendra Singh Rathore, Gagan Narang and Abhinav Bindra did India proud after weightlifter Kunjirani started the gold rush for India. However, if the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF) will be remembered at Melbourne, it will not be because of that first medal as much as the fact that quite a few of its team-members tested positive for the banned steroid stanozonol.

NEW DELHI: World No 3 Gagan Narang, riding on his good form, won gold in the 10m air rifle individual event of the Commonwealth Games, while compatriot Abhinav Bindra settled for a silver at the Karni Singh Shooting Range on Wednesday. Earlier, Narang shot a perfect 600 to equal his world record and qualified for the finals of 10 metre air rifle individual event along with his compatriot and Beijing Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra. At the Karni Singh Shooting Range, Narang took some time to warm up but once he got going there was no stopping him. Bindra was also calm and composed and finished second with 595 points.

LONDON: Beijing Games gold medallist shooter Abhinav Bindra today insisted that he has no plans to retire from the sport after crashing out of the London Olympics by failing to make the finals of the 10m air rifle event here. Bindra, who scripted history four years ago by becoming the country's first-ever individual gold medallist in the Olympics, shot 594 out of 600 to finish a shocking 16th out of 47 competitors and lost the golden chance of becoming the world's first shooter to win two successive gold medals at the mega event.

BEIJING: World champion Abhinav Bindra clinched India's first ever individual gold medal at the Olympics, winning 10m air rifle event at the Beijing Games here today. The 25-year-old, who qualified fourth for the event, shot an overall score of (596+104.5) 700.5 in a thrilling finale which went right down to the last shot. Bindra's historic feat makes him India's first-ever individual gold medallist, bettering the silver medal feat of double trap shooter Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore in Athens 2004.

NEW DELHI: India made it to the Commonwealth Games men's hockey final on Tuesday, beating England 5-4 on penalties after the scores were tied 3-3 at the end of extra-time. Meanwhile, the Indian women's team bagged 32nd gold medal for the country in the 4X400m Relay at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi on Tuesday. In athletics on Tuesday, it was not that bad, as India finished with four bronze medals - two in 4X100 relay, one in javelin and one in triple jump events.

NEW DELHI: What do you expect when an Olympic champion and World record holder face off? A cracker of a contest. Well, that's what is on offer in the men's 10m air rifle event when Abhinav Bindra and Gagan Narang aim the X mark on the electronic target at the Dr Karni Singh ranges on Wednesday. Both the shooters are in fine form, as they proved winning the pairs gold on Tuesday, and that adds to the excitement in the build-up to the qualification round. "I just can't predict this one," National coach Sunny Thomas shrugged.

Saina Nehwal gave India its maiden medal in Olympic Games badminton when her Chinese opponent withdrew from the bronze medal contest after injuring her knee while pocket dynamo Laishram Devendro Singh stormed into the boxing quarterfinals with an upset victory here today. Saina was trailing by a game and 0-1 in her bronze medal play-off game against world no. 2 Xin Wang , who conceded the contest after injuring her knee when going for an acrobatic smash from the baseline.

GLASGOW: Indian shooters continued to dominate the Barry Buddon Centre with the unassuming Sanjeev Rajput and Harpreet Singh clinching a silver medal each but there was heartbreak for Olympic silver winner Vijay Kumar in the 20th Commonwealth Games here today. Star marksman Gagan Narang had to be contend with a bronze while Manavjit Singh Sandhu and Lajja Gauswami , too, finished third on the podium, as India finished with an impressive tally of 17 medals (4 9 4)